Conveyer



CONVEYER- I APPLICATION FILED MAR I 1919- I v 1,426,179., I Patented Aug. 15,1922.

2 SHE ETS-SHEET I.

, George 610% G. GLASS,

CONVEYER.

APPLICATION men MAR. I, I919.

2 2. 92 1.] ,E 5M. 11 1% H m .F. w &2 MW n M P Specification of Letters Patent.

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Application filed March 1, 1919. SerialNo. 279,956.

T 0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gronen Grass, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mil waukee, in the county of Milwaukee and. State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Conveyers, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in conveyers, and, moreparticularly, to endless conveyers of the type used in pea-cleaning machines, wherein there is provided a conveyer consisting of a substantially continuous series of buckets or troughs extending over the floor of a liquid-filled container.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a bucket conveyer of the above type which shall be free from crevices in which the peas can lodge, and which at the same time shall be so constructed as to turn over a small sprocket.

Another object of my invention is to provide a conveyer of the above type which will be perfectly smooth during the passage through the container, and which will have no projections or separating parts between which the peas can be caught and crushed.

For the purpose of disclosing my invention I have illustrated one embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a separating machine having my improved conveyer;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail proved conveyer;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view thereof taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; I

Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3; and I Fig. 6 is an elevation showing the manner of passing the conveyer over a small sprocket. a

Referring to the drawings, the container 2, having an arcuate bottom and being comparatively narrow with respect to its length, is mounted on suitable supporting legs 3. At each end of the conveyer on suitable supporting frames are journaled two shafts 5, each having a pair of spaced-apart sprockets 6 mounted thereon. One of the shafts 5 is additionally provided with a driving sprocket 7 over which passes the driving plan view of my imchain 8. The endless conveyer 9 passes over Patented Aug. 15,1922.

these two sets of sprockets and is arranged in its receiving position to pass within the container along the arcuate bottom thereof. This 'conveyer, as shown in Figs. 3 to5, is composed of a plurality of:links, each link forming abucket, downwardly taperi-ngor I substantially triangular-shaped in cross section, withthe bottom portion inclined rearwardly with respect to the plane of the mouth of the bucket. The two sides 10 of this bucket are preferably formed of cast iron and have inwardly-extending flanges 11 from which project rivet-receiving lugs 12. The upper edges of these side members haveflreinforcing side flanges 13 and at the rear of the side members are formed openings through which the connecting bolts 14 are adapted to pass.& Extending forwardly from the side 'members and formed integrally therewith are extensions 15. These extensions, 1n effect, are continuatlonsof the top flanges 13 and have downwardly-ex tending side portions 16, the distance, however, between these side portions being greater than the distance between the's'ides of the buckets. "These side portions 15 are 1 likewise provided with openings through which the securing bolts 14 pass. In connecting the buckets together by the bolts it will be seen that theextensions 16 are spaced far enough apart to fit on the outside of the rear portion of the next succeeding bucket. The bottom and front and rear walls of each bucket are formed of a single piece of sheet metal 17 secured to the flanges 11 by rivets passing through this metal and through the lugs 12. The upper edge of the rear wall is rolled over to form a beaded lip 18, through which the bolt 14 passes. Tospa-n the spaces will be noted that, due to this construction,

when the buckets move relatively to one another this curved lip 19 fits nicely onto the.

bead 18 and there are no crevices or openings formed into which the peas canbe crowded and crushed. Secured on each end of the bolts 14 which connect the links together are rollers 20 which provide supporting means for the buckets.

The piece of sheet metal 17, as shown in .nections of the buckets.

Fig. 4, is shaped to form a rear wall 20 for the buckets, a bottom portion 20", a front wall portion 20, and a bridging portion 20. The front wall 20 of the bucket forms an acute angle with respect to the mouth 20 of the bucket, while the rear wall 20 forms an obtuse angle with respect to the mouth 20. Since the single piece of sheet metal 17 is secured to the flanges 11 and legs 12 by rivets, as previously described, the front and rear walls of the bucket are rigid with respect to each other.

As will be seen in Fig. 6, the sprockets 6 are provided with suitable notches 21 into which these rollers fit, so that the conveyer will readily pass around this sprocket, and, due to the fact that the extensions 16 are sufliciently spaced apart so that the sides of the adjoining bucket will fit between the same, the conveyer can turn on a very short are. This turning of the conveyer on a short are is rendered possible by reason, also, of the spacing between adjacent buckets and the downwardly tapering rounded formation thereof, which permits each bucket, notwithstanding the rearward inclination thereof, to assume a position in which the bottom portion thereof overlaps and is disposed in close proximity to the mouth portion of the next succeeding bucket, and in which one end of each bucket is disposed substantially parallel with the plane of the mouth of the succeeding bucket.

As shown in Fig. 2, the buckets lie substantially within-the circumferential confines of .the sprockets as they travel over said sprockets, and the teeth of the sprockets have a pitch equal to the distance between the con- Also as shown in Fig. 6, the rear wall and bottom of the buckets form a sort of heel portion which fits into and is embraced by the bridging portion and front wall of the succeeding bucket as the buckets pass around the the container. tainer on each side thereof are deflectors 23 which are inclined to such a position that the distance between the same is just equal to or slightly less than the width of the other embodiments and changes may be made in the one illustrated and described without departing from the spirit thereof as set forth in the appended claim.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States:

A conveyer construction comprising a series of bucket members connected together to form an inclined run, sprockets at the upper end of said run around which said buckets pass, each bucket member comprising a pocket portion and a bridging portion, said buckets lying substantially within the circumferential confines of the sprockets as they travel over said sprockets, said pocket portion being open on top to form a mouth lying substantially in a plane extending longitudinally of the plane of travel of the bucket, and comprising front, rear and side walls, said front, rear and side walls being rigid with respect to each other, said pocket being suspended in substantially vertical position on said inclined run, said bridging portion bridging the space between acent pockets and lying substantially in the plane of the mouth of its pocket, the front wall of the pocket forming an acute angle with re spect to the mouth, and the rear wall of said pocket forming an obtuse angle with respect to the mouth, the rear wall and bottom of the bucket forming a heel portion which fits into and is embraced by the bridging portion and front wall of the succeeding bucket as the buckets pass around the sprockets, the teeth of said sprockets having a pitch equal to the distance between the pivotal connections between the buckets, and having op erative engagement with the buckets at the pivotal points, the pivotal connection be tween the bucket being at the point of connection between the bridging portion of one bucket and the adjacent rear wall of the pre ceding bucket.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

GEORGE GLASS. 

